Domestic appliance



April 18, 1961 J. w. JACOBS ET AL 2,980,480

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE Filed Feb. 12, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 I i INVENTOR. 22- James W Jacob;

\ 1 BY K ennefh A. Ham/sh 5M 29. 4 Their Aflorn y April 18, 1961 w, JACOBS ET AL 2,980,480

DOMESTIC APPLIANCE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 12, 1958 R M m m NCO 8 M w 1W A on u 0 A 5 7 8M m M K Y B United States Patent DOMESTIC APPLIANCE James W. Jacobs and Kenneth A. Hamish, Dayton, Ohio, assignors to General Motors Corporation, Detroit, Micln, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 12, 1958, Ser. No. 714,863

3 Claims. (Cl. 312- 111) This invention relates to a domestic appliance and more particularly to a mounting arrangement for a dropin surface cooking unit in a continuous counter-top.

The present increase in demand for drop-in or built-in surface cooking units has emphasized the need for mounting arrangements which will facilitate the installation and servicing requirements of such units. In addition, a water-tight seal is necessary at the joint where the cooking unit adjoins the supporting counter-top work surface.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a built-in surface cooking unit mounting arrangement which will present a continuous, smooth, watertight counter-top work surface.

An additional object is the provision of a connecting arrangement which may be concealed behind a countertop trim strip.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following descriptions, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein a preferred form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective \u'ew of a drop-in cooking unit installed in a line of cabinets or continuous counter-tops:

Figure 2 is a fragmentary side sectional view taken along line 22 of Figure 1 showing the flush-surfaced, water-tight joint;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary side sectional view of the back-splash attachment means taken along line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary side sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Figure 1 showing the concealed connecting means; and

Figure 5 is an exploded view of the built-in cooking unit assembly.

Reference may now be had to Fig. 1 wherein a surface cooking unit is shown installed in a line of cabinets 12 having continuous or coplanar counter-top work isurfaces 14. Surface heating units 16 may be grouped in any conventional fashion on the cooking surface it) and controlled by a switching arrangement 18. The surface 10 may be formed of stainless steel or other heat-resistant material. The electrical wiring necessary to supply the heating units 16 enters through a bottom pan 20 which serves also to conceal electrical controls and grease catch pans. Access to this wiring may be gained through a removable front panel (not shown) in a cabinet 22 beneath the cooking unit 10 or through the surface openings in which the heating units 16 reside. Electrical service connections, however, are generally made when the built-in cooking unit is installed.

To facilitate cleaning and to insure cleanliness, it is desirable to provide a work surface which is free of any grease collecting crevices. For this reason, a smooth, even surface must be maintained between the various kitchen units and any connecting bolts or screws placed in a location remote from soil collecting areas on the work surface. With reference to Fig. 2, a smooth, continuous coplanar work surface results by forming the cooking surface 10 with an extension or overhang 24 which projects beyond the bottom pan 20. An adjacent counter-top 14 has a conventional laminated construction wherein a finish layer 26 of plastic or other suitable material is bonded to an underlying support or backing portion 28, generally of plywood. The finish plastic layer 26 is recessed from the end of the backing 28 to form a shoulder 30 which is adapted to extend into underlying relationship with the cooking unit overhang 24. As shown, the cooking or surface unit overhang 24 has a thickness equal to that of the counter-top finish layer 26. However, it is to be understood that the depth of shoulder 30 may be varied to accommodate any thickness of cooking surface overhang 24. A close fitting, water-tight connection between overhang and shoulder is now assured by placing a sealing or thermo cement along the shoulder 30 before setting the coolo'ng unit it) in place.

The concealed connection between the built-in cooking unit 10 and the adjacent work surfaces 14 will be more fully described with reference to Fig. 4 wherein the front edge of the surface cooking unit 10 is shown stiffened or supported by a front channel 34. The channel 34 serves to support the front edge of the cooking surface 10 on a top leg portion 36, the channel and surface members being joined in any suitable manner such as by spot welding. Similarly, a front flange or lip 38 of bottom pan 20 is fastened to a bottom leg portion 46' of channel 34. The rear portion of the cooking surface 10 is carried on and afiixed to an upper leg 42 of an S- shaped rear channel 44. A rear flange 46 of the bottom pan is fastened to a lower leg 48 of rear channel 44. Secured also to rear channel 44 is a conventional backsplash, shown generally at 50 (Fig. 3). The backsplash may be formed in a manner similar to that described in connection with the counter-top 14, i.e. a plastic or other heat and water resistant, sheet 52 bonded to a plywood backing 54. A conventional reverse cove molding is interposed between the back-splash 50 and the horizontal work area 10, 14 and conventional fastening means such as screw 56 utilized to assemble the backsplash to the rear channel 44.

In joining the surface cooking unit 10 to an adjacent I counter-top 14, adapter channels 58 are used to join both the front and rear portions of the surface unit 10 to the front and rear offset portions 66, 67, respectively, of the counter-top 14 (Fig. 5). Each adapter channel 58 is universal in this respect and may be used to make connections on the right-hand and left-hand sides of the cooking surface unit. The adapter channel 58 is somewhat smaller than the front support channel 34 so that it may nest between the latters legs 36 and 40. The adapter channel 58 is drilled at 60 to receive fastening means 62 which secure the adapter member to either the front channel 34 or the rear channel 44 after the front channel 34, the counter-top offset 66 and the front adapter channel 58 are in assembled relationship, a conventional snap-0n molding 74 is used to conceal the connection. In addition, the adapter channel may be drilled at 64 to receive the fastening means 56 for attachment to the back-splash 50. Although the cooking unit 10 and the counter-top 14 are shown connected at indented an amount sufi'icient to align the notch with the vertical leg portions of front channel 34 and rear channel 44 when the members are in assembled relationship. Surface cooking unit is then placed next to the counter-top 14 with its overhang 24 just above the recess or shoulder 30 of the counter-top. A bonding material is placed along the shoulder 30 and the overhang 24 pressed into place. The front of the cooking unit 10 is securely fastened to the counter-top by placing the adapter channel 58 within support channel 34. Bolts 62 are inserted through the drilled openings 60 in the adapter channel and into the openings 61 in front channel 34 and rear channel 44 and the nuts tightened thereon. Screw fastening means 63 are placed through adapter channel ports 70 and threaded into the plywood backing of the counter-top 14 at 71 in both front offset 66 and rear offset 67. The back-splash 50, the cove mould 55 and the cooking surface 10 are assembled with screw fastening means in the manner indicated in Fig. 3. Finally, a U-shaped snap-on trim strip 74 is placed over the front edge of the cooking surface 10 and counter-top 14 to present a smooth, unmarked edge at the front of the assembly. From the foregoing it is seen that the connecting arrangement for the built-in assembly is concealed but in condition for easy accessibility for surface cooking unit replacement or repair.

While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, as may come within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In a flush mounting arrangement for joining adjacent kitchen surfaces, 2. first work surface having a support layer and a plastic finish layer in juxtaposition therewith; an offset in a corner of said layers; said support layer extending beyond said plastic finish layer adjacent said offset; a second work surface having a U-shaped support channel, a metal top and a bottom pan; said support channel having a top leg in horizontally afiixed relationship to said metal top and a bottom leg in horizontally afiixed relationship to said bottom pan; said metal top portion extending beyond said support channel into overlying relationship with said support layer and into abutting relationship with said plastic finish layer whereby said first work surface is placed in coplanar relationship to said second work surface; and a U-shaped adapter channel for connecting said support channel to said olfset; said adapter channel nesting between said top leg and bottom leg of said support channel and extending into juxtaposition with said offset.

2. In a flush mounting arrangement for joining a dropin cooking unit, an adjacent cabinet and a back-splash; a first work surface having a support portion and a finish onso layer; said support portion extending beyond said finish layer; an offset in each corner of said first work surface adjacent said cooking unit; a second work surface having a U-shaped front support piece, a rear support piece and a top portion affixed to said pieces; said top portion extending beyond said support pieces into overlying relationship with said support portion and into abutting relationship with said finish layer, whereby said first and second work surfaces are coplanar; a U-shaped connecting piece for joining said front support piece to one of said offsets; said U-shaped connecting piece nesting within said U-shaped support piece and extending into juxtaposition with said one of said offsets; and means for joining said back-splash and said first and second work surfaces; said joining means including a second U-shaped connecting piece having one leg adjacent said rear support piece and said other of said offsets and another leg adjacent said back-splash.

3. A combination table top and kitchen appliance comprising a table top having an upperlayer and a lower layer and provided with an appliance receiving opening therein, an appliance disposed within said opening, said appliance having a top plate abutting said upper layer and having its upper surface flush with the upper surface of said upper layer, said lower layer subtending a portion of said top plate so as to provide support for said appliance, the forward edge of said top plate and said table top being substantially in alignment, and a common trim strip covering the forward edge of said appliance and said table top, said appliance including a channel shaped reinforcing bar adjacent its forward edge and a bottom pan having its forward edge secured to the bottom edge of said bar, means for connecting said appliance and said table top, said-trim strip comprising a channelshaped element having its one side overlying said appliance top and having its other side underlying the forward edge of said bottom pan so as to conceal said reinforcing bar, whereby said channel-shaped element receives said channel-shaped reinforcing bar to form a chamber therebetween for completely enclosing said connecting means.

References Citedin the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

